Overview: Green Umbrella
is pleased to announce this funding opportunity designed to incentivize local
food organizations and businesses to develop innovative, scalable food recovery
efforts. This funding is generously provided by the
Funders’ Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities. Green Umbrella seeks
opportunities like this one to serve as a steward for environmental funding. The total amount of funding
available is $50,000 and at least four (4) entities will be funded.

Background:The EPA and USDA have set joint national goals for 50%
food waste reduction by 2030. According to the 2016 ReFED Roadmap to Reduce
U.S. Food Waste, 40% of all food is wasted, which translates to the U.S.
spending “over $218 billion…growing, processing, transporting, and disposing of
food that is never eaten…totaling roughly 63 million tons of annual waste.” The
EPA estimates that “more food reaches landfills and incinerators than any other
single material in our everyday trash” where it produces methane gas, a
greenhouse gas that is 23 times more powerful than carbon dioxide.An average family of four wastes
$1,500 a year in food they do not eat. Amidst this waste, a quarter of local
residents experienced food insecurity this past year, according to Interact for
Health’s 2017 Community Health Status Survey. In 2017, the Greater
Cincinnati Food Waste Action Plan was finalized and Green Umbrella’s Waste
Reduction Action Team launched a campaign to reduce food waste.

Eligibility: Any Green
Umbrella member* (non-profit, business, government entity, university or
school) that:

Is part of the local food system (i.e. farmers, food artisans, food hubs, food
banks, food pantries, shelters and soup kitchens, food retailers including
grocery coops or corner store initiatives, restaurants that source
locally, institutional kitchens including school and university
cafeterias, incubator or community kitchens, community supported
agriculture organizations, farmers’ markets, etc.);

Has services that benefit Green Umbrella’s
10-county service area of Butler, Clermont,
Hamilton, and Warren (in Ohio); Boone, Campbell, Grant, and Kenton (in
Kentucky); and Dearborn and Franklin (in Indiana).

To Apply: Email
your completed application to apply@greenumbrella.org
by or on Friday, January 26, 2018. Notification and grant awards are expected
to occur in February 2018. A brief final narrative report, describing outcomes
and impacts, and financial report will be due by March 30, 2019.